1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electromagnetic relay or, in particular, to a multiple electromagnetic relay comprising a plurality of electromagnetic relays mounted in a single assembly frame.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the recent development of electric equipment and automatic operation of automotive vehicles, more and more electromagnetic relays are mounted in the vehicle to control various lamps, motors and solenoids. This has given rise to a strong demand for a simple method to mount the electromagnetic relays, in a compact form, on a base board.
An electromagnetic relay is configured with a combination of a coil and at least one contact, each contact provided in various positions between open and closed. There are four main configurations. They are a one-make electromagnetic relay having a coil and a normally open contact associated with a cantilever type armature (the contact is open when non-energized, and is closed when energized), a double-make electromagnetic relay having a coil and two normally open contacts associated with a cantilever type armature (the two contacts are open when non-energized, and are closed when energized), a transfer electromagnetic relay having a coil and a normally closed contact and a normally open contact associated with a cantilever type armature (one contact is closed and another contact is open when non-energized, and one contact is open and another contact associated with a cantilever type armature (the contact is closed when non-energized, and is open when energized).
As an example, a double electromagnetic relay comprises two transfer electromagnetic relays mounted in an assembly frame which in turn is mounted on a base board for driving the power window motor of the vehicle in the forward and reverse directions. In the double electromagnetic relay, the two transfer electromagnetic relays can be mounted in proximity to each other on the board, and therefore the required space is reduced while at the same time greatly simplifying the mounting work, as compared with the case in which two transfer electromagnetic relays are individually mounted on the board.
However, for controlling the turn signal flasher lamp and the hazard warning flasher lamp of the automotive vehicle, for example, a one-make electromagnetic relay and a double-make electromagnetic relay are required. A multiple electromagnetic relay including these two types of electromagnetic relays has yet to be developed.
In view of the problem described above, the object of the present invention is to provide a multiple electromagnetic relay other than a double electromagnetic relay including two electromagnetic relays of the same type.
According to this invention, there is provided a multiple electromagnetic relay assembly comprising at least three electromagnetic relays including relays of the same type or two electromagnetic relays of different types selected from several electromagnetic relays configured with combinations of a coil and a various number of contact units, each contact provided in varying positions between open and closed, wherein the selected combination is mounted in a single assembly frame adapted to be mounted on a base board.
A multiple electromagnetic relay thus configured comprises at least three electromagnetic relays including relays of the same type or two electromagnetic relays of different types mounted in a single assembly frame which in turn is mounted on a board.
The present invention may be more fully understood from the description of preferred embodiments of the invention set forth below, together with the accompanying drawings.